HSBC Bermuda has launched a suite of new investment portfolios for its retail banking customers.

World Selection allows clients to access funds from around the world and manage their level of risk.

HSBC Bermuda's deputy CEO Richard Moseley said: "World Selection offers clients in Bermuda the added value of a local proposition built on HSBC's global capabilities. Our global team of experts, monitor markets and evaluate portfolios worldwide around the clock. This HSBC integrated approach drives our success and ensures the best of our global capabilities are delivered locally to our clients."

The investments are carefully selected and monitored by HSBC experts globally and, with a wide range of investments from different asset classes and markets, returns are more consistent over time, allowing the customer to choose the portfolio that is right for them from a simple line up with small amounts of money.

HSBC first launched World Selection in the UK early last year and has since made it available to customers in several other countries, including the US, Canada and Hong Kong. Almost $3 billion of customer assets have been invested in World Selection to date.

As part of an ambitious build-out of its wealth management proposition globally, World Selection will be progressively offered to customers of HSBC across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East and the Americas during 2010.

Alex Hungate, group managing director and head of personal financial services and marketing at HSBC, said: "The global recession has dented investment returns and investor confidence. People want to rebuild their portfolios but want expert help in managing investment risk. At HSBC, we believe that we can help by offering our customers ready access to the expertise of HSBC's investment managers around the world."

Each World Selection portfolio has been adapted for a particular customer risk profile, ranging from a relatively cautious investor to one willing to take a comparatively high level of risk in exchange for potentially higher growth.